Aureole at Mandalay Bay to Offer Modern Tasting Table Experience

Chef Charlie Palmer and Mandalay Bay have announced the reimagined Aureole, now offers a tasting table experience designed for the way people eat and drink today. Chef Palmer renews his commitment to preparing quality, local ingredients in a bold, American style and upholds Aureole’s longstanding position as one of the greatest wine restaurants in the world. The transformed space offers three distinct dining experiences: an intimate bar and lounge area; an approachable main dining room; and the fine dining Fountain Terrace, all highlighted with warm hues and wine-inspired design elements. Aureole has reopened on the casino level where it has stood since 1999.

The new Aureole offers a modern dining experience that stays true to the core elements that have made it a beloved Las Vegas staple,” said Chef Charlie Palmer. “The menu takes a ‘less is more approach’ in which quality ingredients are used in exciting preparation methods that don’t over complicate the dish presentation or flavor profile.”

Menu
The new menu concept focuses around food’s three natural foundations: Surf, Root, and Ranch boasting eight dishes in each category. Selections are organized in ascending order from lighter to robust fare, with a strong emphasis on sharing. The menu was developed in partnership with new Executive Chef Johnny Church and is available throughout the restaurant with a special prix-fixe option available upon request in the Fountain Terrace. Menu highlights include:

Wine
Wine is an integral component of Aureole’s legacy as recognized through the restaurant’s 3,000-selection list that’s been lauded with Wine Spectator’s Grand Award every year since 2000. Mandalay Bay Director of Wine Harley Carbery oversees the list and consistently updates it to keep selections new and exciting for guests. In addition, he has crafted a rotating, by-the-glass list of 48 wines that features two suggested pairings for each of the 24 dishes on the restaurant’s menu. This unique menu format provides the option to try multiple wines throughout the dinner experience and takes the guesswork out of creating the ideal pairing. A wine table located adjacent to the host stand now displays the full inventory of the evening’s by-the-glass offerings. The wine team pours and tags each glass denoting the producer, variety, and vintage before they are presented tableside.

Wines from Aureole’s prized list continue to be retrieved by Aureole’s signature wine angels, now donning new silver uniforms. The updated attire makes the flying angels easy to view from anywhere in the restaurant.

Design
A fusion of classic and contemporary design elements adds warmth and approachability to each of the dining experiences within the 9,000-square-foot Aureole. Upholstered wall panels, a wood beam ceiling and soft lighting create an intimate feel within the bar and lounge area, while the main dining room emits a modern ambiance with bold splashes of purple, orange, and gold, offset by the earthy tones of a live olive tree. The iconic, 10,000-bottle, 50-ft. wine tower remains the focal point of the room and is accentuated by chrome wall sculptures with colorful backlit olive-shaped spheres. A custom grapevine-inspired carpet complements wood tabletops and cognac leather seating featured in the space. Fountain Terrace, Aureole’s more upscale dining room, offers a more subtle color palette accentuated by a gold leaf ceiling and tables dressed in formal white tablecloths. Floor-to-ceiling windows line Fountain Terrace and doors open to the restaurant’s outdoor area, creating an open and airy atmosphere. While each dining space has its own distinctive experience, the three rooms blend together seamlessly through Aureole’s new, cohesive design aesthetic.